A/HRC/21/47/Add.1
92.
Issues of self-governance, environmental degradation, language restoration,
and federal recognition, as well as the particular concerns of indigenous peoples in
urban settings and border areas, among other matters, should also be addressed.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
93.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an
important impetus and guide for improving upon existing measures to address the
concerns of indigenous peoples in the United States, and for developing new measures
to advance toward reconciliation. The Declaration represents an international
standard accepted by the United States, at the urging of indigenous peoples from
across the country, and is an extension of the United States historical leadership and
commitment to promote human rights under various sources of international law.
With these characteristics, the Declaration is a benchmark for all relevant decisionmaking by the federal executive, Congress, and the judiciary, as well as by the states
of the United States.
The federal executive
94.
The federal executive should work closely with indigenous leaders, at all levels
of decision-making, to identify and remove any barriers to effective implementation of
existing government programmes and directives, and to improve upon them. In this
regard, efforts should be made to ensure coordinated and clear delineation of tasks
among the various government agencies working on indigenous issues, effective means
of interaction and consultation with indigenous peoples, and coherent, coordinated
federal executive action on indigenous issues.
95.
In keeping with the expressed commitment of the United States to the
principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and its related
international human rights obligations, the President should consider issuing a
directive to all executive agencies to adhere to the Declaration in all their decisionmaking concerning indigenous peoples.
96.
Independently of such a presidential directive, given that the Declaration has
already been adopted as part of United States policy, all executive agencies that touch
upon indigenous affairs should become fully aware of the meaning of the Declaration
with respect to their respective spheres of responsibility, and they should ensure that
their decisions and consultation procedures are consistent with the Declaration. To
this end there should be a crosscutting executive level campaign to ensure awareness
about the content and meaning of the Declaration.
97.
In following up to the apology resolution adopted by Congress in 2010, which
directs the President to pursue reconciliation with the country’s indigenous peoples,
the President should develop, in consultation with them, a set of relevant initiatives in
accordance with paragraphs 87-92 above. As an initial measure, the President should
make the apology resolution widely known among indigenous peoples and the public
at large, in a way that is appropriate to the sensitivities and aspirations of indigenous
peoples, and within a broader programme that contributes to public education about
indigenous peoples and the issues they face.
Congress
98.
Congress should act promptly on legislative proposals advocated by indigenous
leaders for the protection of their peoples’ rights, and ensure that any legislation
concerning indigenous peoples is adopted in consultation with them. Particular,
immediate priority should be placed on legislation advocated by indigenous peoples
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